ENGLEWOOD, Colo. – The first time is always the hardest, and that was the case for Peyton Manning when he faced his old team, the Indianapolis Colts, for the first time last year.

Just the specter of his return to Indianapolis, combined with bulletin-board-material quotes from Colts owner Jim Irsay, the inherent awkwardness of a tribute video to the opposing quarterback, had Manning even more worked up than normal for a game week.

When the adoring crowd at Lucas Oil Stadium stood and cheered, giving Manning a lengthy standing ovation before kickoff, he was genuinely moved.

Certainly there will be some lingering emotions Sunday night, perhaps when he looks across the field to see old friend Reggie Wayne on the opposing sideline at Sports Authority Field at Mile High, and sees that familiar blue horseshoe helmet. But 2½ years removed from his divorce from the Colts, Manning is clearly at home in Denver, and his tenure with the Colts is a more distant memory.

“He’s much more settled in now; he knows what to expect,” Broncos receiver Andre Caldwell said. “It was tough going back (to Indianapolis), but I think he’s comfortable playing back home in Denver. There’s no stress.”

At least not when it comes to all those pesky emotions. When it comes to football, the Colts give the Broncos reason to worry.

Though the Broncos ultimately won the AFC, few in Denver’s locker room have forgotten their October loss in Indianapolis. It was the Broncos’ first loss in their 13-3 season, and the first time their offensive players had been pushed around.

Colts cornerbacks played tight, physical coverage on the Broncos’ receivers, while a makeshift Broncos offense line — reshuffled because of multiple injuries — allowed Manning to be sacked four times. Manning came out of the game hobbled by an ankle injury.

“It seemed like they were playing at a different speed than us,” offensive coordinator Adam Gase said Thursday. “It was a very valuable learning experience.”

It was exactly the type of defensive game plan that ultimately worked against the Broncos several times last year — in a loss at New England in November, and certainly in the Super Bowl loss to Seattle in February.

The Colts hardly unveiled anything new, but knowing Manning like they did, they understood the best way to beat him was to hit him.

Sure, the Broncos’ offseason moves appeared to be most directly a reaction to the Super Bowl blowout, but the memories of that loss to Indianapolis were a factor as well. The Broncos made strategic moves offensively, too.

“We realized we needed to get stronger, more physical. They brought it to us that game and it showed on the scoreboard. We hit it hard, got a lot more physical and got more attitude for when we play teams like that,” Caldwell said.

“We remember that game, and we know what it takes to win this game,” he said. “They’re a physical team, they’re fast. But we added key pieces on offense and on defense this year, so they’re going to have to match our intensity.”

Among the biggest changes to the Broncos offense from that game in Indianapolis last year in a revamped offensive line that includes the healthy return of star left tackle Ryan Clady, and a position switch to guard by former right tackle Orlando Franklin.

It will be a much different look for the Colts, playing without premier pass rusher Robert Mathis, than when they faced a line last year without either Clady or Franklin, who sat out while recovering from a knee injury.

“A lot of people in our building have talked about, on paper, we feel way more comfortable going into this game than a year ago,” Broncos coach John Fox said.

The Broncos talked during the preseason about that on-paper roster, and no one seems more eager to test it out than Manning.